title: Does CBT facilitate emotional processing?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is not primarily conceptualized as operating via affective processes. However, there is growing recognition that emotional processing plays an important role during the course of therapy.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The Emotional Processing Scale was developed as a clinical and research tool to measure emotional processing deficits and the process of emotional change during therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-five patients receiving CBT were given measures of emotional functioning (Toronto Alexithymia Scale [TAS-20]; Emotional Processing Scale [EPS-38]) and psychological symptoms (Brief Symptom Inventory [BSI]) pre- and post-therapy. In addition, the EPS-38 was administered to a sample of 173 healthy individuals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Initially, the patient group exhibited elevated emotional processing scores compared to the healthy group, but after therapy, these scores decreased and approached those of the healthy group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This suggests that therapy ostensibly designed to reduce psychiatric symptoms via cognitive processes may also facilitate emotional processing. The Emotional Processing Scale demonstrated sensitivity to changes in alexithymia and psychiatric symptom severity, and may provide a valid and reliable means of assessing change during therapy.
authors.affiliation: Dorset Research and Development Support Unit, Bournemouth University, Bournemouth, UK. rbaker@bournemouth.ac.uk
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Owens
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Whittlesea
authors.forename: Gareth
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Abbey
authors.forename: Phil
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gower
authors.forename: Lara
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tosunlar
authors.forename: Eimear
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Corrigan
authors.forename: Peter W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Thomas
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000275:Adjustment Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D055815:Young Adult